You’re a Lovely Sight to Behold Upon a Manifold
by Coneflower Adams
Summary: [Updated Apr. 16] Merry fic! Even the Shire celebrates Valentine Day. See how one hobbit tween helps a new friends after meeting at a party. ((No slash, MS, and slightly AU!))
1. Strange Pickings

You're a Lovely Sight to Behold Upon a Manifold  
  
Chapter 1: Strange Pickings   
  
Every year on February 14th, hobbits of the Shire held the tradition of Valentine Day. I believe it is just another excuse to hold parties and give gifts, but they like the tradition and it's usually celebrated by all.   
  
On personal terms, the wife bakes a special tart for her husband. In return, the husband expressions love for his wife through song at a party or in the confines of their own hole.   
  
The tweens and unchained hobbits do something very different. Hobbit lasses are the special ones on that day. Hobbit lads gather in small groups; picking a name of a hobbit lass he favors, writing it on a piece of paper, and picking from a jar. Whichever lass's name he receives, he must pay special attention to her the entire day and escort her to the local party. This venture isn't a romantic one - unless they choose it to be - but most marriages start this way.  
  
Here is a look in the day of a hobbit tween on this very day:  
  
Fatty Bolger dropped the last strip of folded paper into the small preserves jar. Pippin shook the jar for a few moments then set it back down on the table the six encircled. "You first, Cousin Frodo, since you are the oldest."   
  
As usual, they went by age. "All right." Frodo stuck in his hand, and pulled out a strip. He opened it, breathing a sigh of relief "Wonderful! I received Daisy again."  
  
"Why are you always excited when you get Daisy?" Folco Boffin asked. "She's you're cousin."  
  
"That's the whole point, Folco" Pippin said, leaning beside him. "Nothing can come between the two. He choose to be alone all his life."  
  
Frodo threw Pippin a friendly glare. "I have good reasons. Besides, how can I ever be alone when you dunders always show up on my doorstep."  
  
Sam was next. He picked a name, and leaped for joy at the result. Frodo smiled. "You got Rosie, didn't you?" All Sam could do was nod and blush. He held the most favor for Rose Cotton out of all the maidens in Hobbiton and Bywater. He was glad she would be the lass he gave special attention to, because the year before Gatlin Crubbs laid it on thick to keep Rose's attention.   
  
The next was Fatty's turn. "I want to wait to open mine. I'm afraid of who it will be."  
  
"Oh, Fatty, you're always afraid of something" Merry remarked. It was his turn. He didn't want to admit it, but he was nervous of which girl he'd receive. There was only one he desired to have, and that one was Azalea Hood. She was a beautiful maiden - with fair beauty and voluptuous shape - who was rarely seen without a line of boy tweens following her. She usually warded them off by handing them food and telling them politely to 'go away'. "I think I'll wait as well" Merry added, gripping the strip tightly in his hand.  
  
Folco's turn. He nodded in amusement. "I received who I wanted" was all he said. They knew who it was: Laurel Bracegirdle, a maiden he'd gotten last year and had become very fond of.  
  
It was finally Pippin, the youngest of the group, to pick. He squalled with delight. "Dahlia, my darling, here I come!" He jumped up to leave.   
  
"Hold on there, Pip" Merry said, grabbing hold of his cousin's coattail. "Wait until we all know who we have. Ready Fatty?" Fatty nodded, and they opened they're strips at the same time.   
  
Fatty nearly fell off his chair and couldn't speak from shock of who he got. Sam did it for him, laughing in the process. "Azalea Hood. Begging your pardon, Fatty, but you have a very high price to pay with her."   
  
At the same moment, Merry was blankly staring at his strip not believing who he had gotten. "Merry, who'd you get?" Pippin asked.   
  
"Bitty Goodfellow" he answered with a slight grimace. If you knew of Bitty Goodfellow, you'd know why. She was rarely seen outside her hole or land around it, being shy to other folk. Her hair was dark and her eyes even darker, and she was one of the skinniest maidens in Hobbiton which made her less attractive to others. Now Merry had to waste his attention on her?  
  
"Good luck even getting her to speak to you" Pippin remarked, slapping his cousin on the back. 


	2. What's Under the Rock

Chapter 2: What's Under the Rock  
  
Merry strolled slowly to the Goodfellow's hole. It was morning, right after first breakfast. He wasted as much time he could at breakfast to stay away from his task at hand for the day, but the others made sure he made it to Bitty's hole. As he walked up the dirt path, he could see Bitty hard at work washing dishes in front of the kitchen window. She seemed very intent with her work, and he wasn't sure to disturb her. Maybe it'd work at his advantage. Merry only hoped.  
  
He knocked on the faded green door. The sound of a dish clattering on a hard surface was heard, and not even a five seconds later, the door opened. Bitty was wiping her hands on a cloth. "Hullo Meriadoc" she greeted meekly. "You must be my companion for today?"  
  
"I am, indeed" Merry answered with a reluctant smile. "Are you busy? I could come back later."  
  
"NO!" Bitty said, quickly then flushed a deep crimson. "Forgive me for being so rude." She peered around as if searching for sign of life around the drab hole. When her search revealed empty, she threw her cloth away and shut the door from outside. "I'm ready."  
  
"Where would you like to go?" Merry asked politely enough. The girl always had reign over where to go and what to do.   
  
Bitty cocked her head, and looked at him strangely. "I get to choose?"   
  
"Yes" he slowly answered. "Do you not know the..." Before he could finish, Bitty grabbed his hand and dragged him away to the woods nearby.   
  
When she knew they were far enough from her hole, Bitty slowed and let go of his hand. "May I ask what that was about?" Merry said, catching his breath.   
  
"Please forgive me again. If my parents found I was with anyone except that Old Sandyman's son, my ears would burn with more than just fussing."   
  
Merry wondered what those last words meant, but chose the other odd topic. "Ted Sandyman? Are you betroth to him?"  
  
Bitty quirked an uneasy smile. "Not exactly. I'd like to leave that behind for today. You said we could do anything I want?" Merry nodded. Why was this hard for her to comprehend? "Come with me." She lead the way through the woods on a narrow, well-worn path. Merry was now wondering what in the Shire had he gotten himself into. He'd only been around Bitty a few short times, and knew nothing of her family. They were queer ones, everyone claimed. From what he saw so far, Bitty was proving that implication.   
  
"Do you like to swim?" she suddenly asked, not looking back at her companion behind her.   
  
Merry perked up. "Why yes I do. You know how to swim?"   
  
"I do" Bitty said, glancing back at him. "Not many folk do in Hobbiton because they're afraid of the mystery water is. I can't understand that reason. I love the feel of freedom in the water." Her voice grew faint at the end, but quirked up right away at the sight of the path's end. "Come along, Meriadoc! We're here!" She rushed to where 'here' was.   
  
"Bitty" Merry called, following right behind. "You can call me Merry if you'd like. Barely anyone calls me Meriadoc."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know."   
  
"That's all right." It was then that Merry caught sight of their destination. He grinned at the body of water before them. "What is this place?"   
  
Bitty smiled, bashfully. "This is my water hole. No one ever comes here except for myself."   
  
Merry was too busy observing the water hole to notice what Bitty was up to near a small bush. When he turn to her, his eyes widened then he hurried to cover them. She had taken off her dress, leaving only a white petticoat and leg-long bloomers on her person. "Bitty, what are you doing???"  
  
"Going for a swim" she answered, nonchalantly. "It's all right, Merry Brandybuck. You can uncover your eyes. You won't see anything revealing."  
  
Merry carefully lifted his hand. He really didn't know how to act with a half dressed maiden before him. This had -definitely- never happened before! "Bitty, you're not as shy as I perceived you to be."  
  
The girl only grinned as she stuck her feet in the chilled water, making her involuntary shiver. "There's a lot many things you do not know about me or my family" she said, forlorn. "Are you joining me?"  
  
Merry was dumbfounded for a moment, but rocked out if it by Bitty's piercing stare. "Yes, I'm coming." He slipped off his vest and top-shirt, being thankful he wore an undershirt that day. Lastly, he slid off his belt but left his pants right where they were. His reputation would be foiled totally if he was caught half dressed with a maiden.   
  
The young Brandybuck never would of thought in a million years he'd be swimming with Bitty Goodfellow - let alone enjoying it. They raced from one side of the pond to the other. Merry showed her some tricks he could do. After a while, he misplaced the idea of Bitty being anything like he assumed. That's when he splashed her! He waited and waited but she didn't splash him back. He tried again. Bitty seemed not to know what to do.   
  
"Come on, Bitty. Splash me" he coaxed, trying a third time.   
  
"I'm allowed to hit you?" she asked rather dazed.   
  
Merry nodded vigorously, ignoring her confused tone. "It's called horse playing. There's nothing wrong with it."   
  
Bitty raised her hand and hit the water lightly only sending a few drops Merry's way. "Oh, you can do better than that." He slapped more streams of water her way. Finally her slaps became stronger, and a water fight broke out.   
  
***  
  
"Merry, I don't know if I can do this. I'm kind of scare."   
  
"It's not that hard, Bitty. You'll be fine."   
  
Bitty shook her head, nervously. She started to back away, but Merry wouldn't see to it. He rushed out the water and up the steep hill where she stood not ready to jump into the pond below. She eyed him. "Merry, what are you...? AHH!" Bitty screamed as she fell in the water.   
  
She emerged several seconds later, coughing out water. She hardly had time to recover when Merry landed beside her. "Still afraid?" he cocked. Bitty glared hot coals his way, ready to dunk the troll.   
  
It was then, though, they're attention switched to a screeching laugh coming from the other side of the hill. Merry smirked at the voice that followed. "That sounds like Pippin. He must be with Dahlia." He turned to Bitty, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Have you ever played a practical joke before?" Bitty shook her head. He shrugged. "Well, there's always a first for everything."   
  
He gestured for Bitty to follow him. They sleek out the water and up the hill, peeking over. Sure enough, there was Pippin just sitting on a fallen log with Dahlia. Lucky for the two pranksters, the couple faced the opposite way.   
  
"If only we had a container to fill water in" Merry whispered.  
  
Bitty strangled a gasp and slipped away from his side. She hurried back, carefully handing Merry a wooden bowl. "Oh good, water. Where'd you get this?"   
  
"I found it a while back. Do what you need with it."  
  
Merry wanted to laugh. Bitty looked so proud. This was truly a peculiar moment in his life but all too good to pass up. "Help me dump it. Aim for Pippin. Poor Dahlia doesn't like her feet wet." He rolled his eyes at that. "On three...one, two, three..."  
  
A girlie scream erupted from below. What made it interesting was it came from Pippin! Then another scream sounded. That was Dahlia. In all this, the laughs were drowned out...at least until the screams stopped.   
  
"Meriadoc Brandybuck!" Pippin shrieked, finding the culprits behind the hill. Dahlia was huffing beside him. Apparently her feet did get wet. "And, Bitty Goodfellow?"   
  
Bitty calmed down, gulping. "Yes?"   
  
Pippin grinned. "This is a sight. Have you two been having a good time?" he asked, indicating their current dress status.   
  
"Don't even think that" Merry said, glaring at his cousin. He turned to Bitty who was quickly tugging on her dress. "I think we should leave these two alone, Bitty. We need to get out of these wet clothes and ready for the party tonight."  
  
She nodded.   
  
"Goodbye, Cousin." Merry waved as he walked after Bitty, his top-shirt, vest, and belt in hand. "See you at the party." 


	3. Coming from where?

Chapter 3: Coming from where?  
  
Bitty stared out her kitchen window anxiously waiting for Merry. Her parents had disappeared into the back garden. She didn't know how long they'd be gone. If they found her being accompanied to the Valentine party with a Brandybuck, they'd lock her in her room for good.   
  
A figure strolled out from the shadows of the trees beside the straight-cut path leading to the Goodfellow hole. Bitty craned her neck to get a better look at the lad; it was Merry. She raced out the door as quietly as possible to meet him.   
  
"Hullo Merry" she greeted.   
  
Merry halted. "That was fast. You must of been watching for me."  
  
"I was" she replied, uneasy. "I didn't want us to be late."  
  
"There is no certain time for the party."   
  
"Can we just go?" She looked at him with pleading eyes. A secret fear lay behind them that was obvious for her anxiousness. Merry nodded.   
  
"Yes, let us be off."   
  
Bitty sighed then smiled as he offered his arm. They walked into Hobbiton to Bilbo's tree where all parties had been since his 'disappearing act'. Along the way, Merry caught sight of Fatty Bolger and almost tumbled down with laughter. Fatty was trailing behind Azalea Hood carrying two large packages full of who-knows-what. You could tell they were heavy. Sweat was pouring off Fatty's brow. Merry thought ironically that could of been him then switched his gaze to the girl beside. *I think I received the better.*   
  
The sunny sounds of the party flowed to their ears. The farther they climbed over the hill, the closer they got to it until finally they were there. Bitty's eyes widened. She had only been to a party in Hobbiton a couple times. Ever since she was old enough to be courted, hobbit lads had no desire for her. Even when someone did bring her to a party, they abandon her the rest of the night. The only one who did show any interest in her was Ted Sandyman, but not for positive reasons.   
  
At the edge of the field, Merry stopped and turned to Bitty. "What would you like to do first?"  
  
Bitty stood there, her mouth slightly agape not knowing what to say. She peered around. Many hobbits were already there dancing, eating, singing, eating, drinking, and also eating. It was too much to absorb, so, she picked the most popular thing. "Shall we eat?"  
  
"I'm always up for eating" Merry answered with a grin. He spotted Pippin and Dahlia sitting by the open space for dancing. "You don't mind sitting with Pippin and Dahlia, do you?"  
  
"Oh no, it's quite all right."  
  
They made their way to the table. "Merry! You finally arrived!" Pippin said, taking a drink of his ale. Dahlia politely sat next to him wearing a content smile.   
  
"I see you already attacked the food tent" Merry remarked, seeing the many plates scattered about the table.   
  
"It's been very good so far, I might add" Dahlia informed.   
  
Merry pulled out the chair for Bitty, but noticed she was about to sit in the next chair. "Bitty, you can sit here."   
  
"That was for me?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
She blushed, and sat. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."  
  
"It's perfectly fine. Now, I will go get you a plate."   
  
Bitty reached out to stop him. "You don't have to do that. I can get my own plate."  
  
"But I want to get it for you. You stay here. I'll be back soon." She watched as Merry shuffled off to the food tent.   
  
"Do you care to dance, my darling Dahlia?"   
  
"I'd love to." Dahlia took Pippin's hand, and they were off.   
  
Bitty frowned at her frequent situation - alone. *At least Merry will be back soon.*   
  
  
Meanwhile at the food tent…  
  
"Merry!" Fatty cried, running up to his friend. He clutched Merry's arm. "I need you're help!" Merry looked at him strangely.  
  
"What is it Fatty?"   
  
"Will you trade lasses with me? Azalea is beautiful, but she has worked me like a pony the whole day. I need a rest."  
  
Merry laughed. "You want to trade Azalea for Bitty" he statement more than questioned.  
  
"You wanted Azalea anyway. I thought you'd jump at the chance."  
  
"I'm not leaving Bitty, but maybe we can find someone who will take Azalea."  
  
"You'll help me then? Thank you!" Fatty started to pull Merry along.   
  
"I can only be a few minutes; Bitty is waiting."  
Back to Bitty…  
  
It had been several minutes since Merry had left to get her a plate. Pippin and Dahlia were still dancing. Bitty heaved. It couldn't be happening again. Merry actually seemed to like her, and had treated her kindly. He wouldn't ignore her now.   
  
After about twenty minutes, Bitty bit her lip and turn to leave. "Bitty Goodfellow, I see you are alone…as usual."  
  
Bitty was face to face with one lad she despised more than anyone. "Ted Sandyman, leave me be." She stepped to go around him, but he stopped her.  
  
"Who were you with? Did he abandon you like they all do?" Bitty's eyes shifted to the ground, shamefully. Ted leaned close to her. "I told you no one would EVER want you. You should settle with me. I'll always have use for you."  
  
"Please leave me be" Bitty said, almost in tears.   
  
Suddenly, Ted was pulled abruptly from Bitty. Merry appeared between the two, protectively keeping Ted from her. "She said to leave her."  
  
"So, you're the one who was stuck with Bitty" Ted said, pushing for an agreement from Merry. It never came.   
  
"Bitty is a lovely girl, and I have had a good time with her today. If you'll excuse us." Merry grasped Bitty's hand, and lead her away - leaving Ted to stare off at them wearing a stunned expression.  
  
"I'm sorry I left you for so long" Merry started when they stopped at a less crowded ((and less noisy)) area of the party field. "Fatty Bolger convinced me to help him find someone who'd take Azalea Hood, but it turned out to be a fiasco when Azalea refused to leave Fatty. I promise I did not forget about you, and I tried to get away."  
  
Bitty's heart sunk. She assumed he'd abandon her like the rest of him. All that had happen in the pass few minutes told her otherwise. He actually defended her! "Thank you for helping me with Ted Sandyman" she murmured.   
  
"No trouble at all." Merry smiled. "Would you like to eat now?"   
  
"I'm not as hungry" Bitty said, looking around. "Can we dance? I've never have before."  
  
"You've never danced? I'll have to teach you."  
  
They walked to the dance area. Merry placed her hand on his shoulder, grasping her other hand and raising it in the air. Then he placed his hand around her waist, making Bitty flinch. She had seen everyone else dancing like this, but couldn't help wonder if it was proper. They danced for a good while. Bitty was started to loosen up and began to thoroughly enjoy dancing.   
  
The music calmed as a tipsy hobbit tweenager hopped on stage. Who would of thunk that it was Pippin? "Maidens and Gentlehobbits" he began. "I would like to propose a ditty for my darling, lovely lass, Dahlia Shylock." Dahlia was at the front of the stage looking awfully proud. "I see the sun shine and I think of you. I see the stars in the sky and I think of you. I see a baby bird fly and I think of you. You are my little pink flower that grows in a pot on my porch. You're a lovely sight to behold upon a manifold."  
  
"Oh Peregrin Took!" Dahlia hopped on stage and literally knocked him over with a hug.   
  
Pippin looked at the sky, bemused. "Who was I talking about?" Then he realized Dahlia was kissing his cheek. "Dahlia, what are you doing cleaning my cheek with your saliva?"  
  
That was basically the highlight of the evening. Bitty finally got to have a nice dinner with Merry. He made sure she went with him to the food tent. He knew that troublesome Sandyman was slithering around somewhere. Bitty didn't want to be gone too long from home. So, after a couple hours, she asked Merry if he'd accompany her home.   
  
"What happened between you and Ted?" Merry asked, half way to Bitty's hole.   
  
Bitty keep silent for several moments. "My parents have promised me to Ted. I've refused for as many years as I can, but he still pursues me."  
  
"From what I heard, he sounds like he wants to drag you through the mud and stomp on you."  
  
"That's a very interesting way of putting it, but I think it's because he doesn't want anyone to have me. I'll probably be the best hobbit wife for him. I cook, clean, and know how to take commands."  
  
"You shouldn't have to take commands. Lasses should be treated with respect, and I know Sandyman has no respect for anyone."  
  
"That's just the way it is in my family, Merry." Bitty stopped. "I need to walk the rest of the way alone from here."   
  
"If that's what you want. Farewell, milady." Merry bowed to her then kissed her hand. "It was a pleasure accompanying you today. If you need anything, you can find me most of the time at Bag End. All right?"  
  
Bitty nodded, and said in a forlorn voice, "I'll remember that. Good-bye, Merry." With that, she turned and disappeared into the shadows over the path. 


	4. A Flower a Day Keeps a Smile on Your Fac...

Chapter 4: A Flower a Day Keeps a Smile on Your Face  
  
"Bitty!" Mrs. Goodfellow shrieked, upon opening her daughter's bedroom door. The poor girl groaned and dug her head into the old feather pillow. Mrs. Goodfellow plowed up to her, shaking her. "It's time to get up to make first breakfast!"   
  
"Mother, can I sleep through first breakfast?" Bitty's muffled voice asked. "I promise I will make second breakfast and boil afternoon tea."  
  
Mrs. Goodfellow bent down to Bitty's ear, pinching it with her thumb and index finger. "If you don't get your louse hide from that bed, you won't be eating any breakfast."  
  
Bitty clinched her teeth. She hated when her mother threatened her especially about food. It became very tiring. When threatened, Bitty usually took the consequences - an empty stomach. "You got me, mother. I'll be about in a few minutes."   
  
"That's more like it" Mrs. Goodfellow murmured, paddling out the room. Bitty's fist slammed her pillow, thin black feathers shooting into the air from it's side.   
  
Before long, Bitty was dressed and in the kitchen needing the dough for biscuits. She could hear her father cleaning in the washroom. Her mother was down the hall gathering dirty laundry from each room. Another day the same as always. She sighed, recalling the events of the day before…the wonderful time she would never have again. She needed the dough harder and twisted her mouth, mentally pained by that fact.  
  
"Good morning, Bitty!"  
  
Bitty jumped at the sunny voice. She stared out the open window in from of the kitchen counter straight into Merry Brandybuck's face. "Merry" she started, pushing a loose curl behind her pointed ear. "what are you doing here?" she asked, startled. Merry leaned against the window.   
  
"I come to bid you a 'good morning' and give you this." He raised his hand to reveal a deep pink phlox flower. "For a new friend." He handed it to her. Bitty flushed crimson, and held up her hands.   
  
"That is awfully kind of you. But, could you possibly leave it on the window sill? My hands are busy in dough."  
  
"Oh, of course!"  
  
"Who are you?" a crude voice shrieked through the kitchen. Bitty slumped. Too late to warn Merry to leave.   
  
"I'm Merry Brandybuck" Merry stuttered out, taken aback by the lady's tone and awful glare.  
  
"What is a Brandybuck doing here?" Mrs. Goodfellow stepped up to the window as Merry stepped back, stumbling on a bush.  
  
"Admiring your daught…daisies in your garden" Merry replied with an uneasy smile.   
  
"Well, we don't take kindly to folk just walking up unannounced. Be off with you!" Mrs. Goodfellow hurried to the door to shoo Merry away with her rag.   
  
Bitty shook her head. Her mother could be a pain. She leaned over the counter, whispering to Merry, "Meet me in the woods by the pond. I'll bring biscuits."   
  
Merry nodded before taking off toward the woods to escape Mrs. Goodfellow's wrath.  
  
***  
  
"Your mother is quite the sour puss" Merry commented, pouring honey over the warm biscuit.   
  
"You do not have to inform me" Bitty replied, after swallowing a mouthful of biscuit. It was not polite to talk with your mouth full.   
  
"I'm surprised she hasn't bitten your head off" Merry joked, grinning.  
  
Bitty quirked an eyebrow at the remark, drowning Merry's light mood with her serious tone. "I've learned how to live with it."  
  
There was a long pause then an innocently asked question, "Why do you stay?"   
  
Bitty's biscuit stopped mid-way to her mouth. She'd never expected that Merry - a rich, probably educated hobbit - couldn't figure out such an obvious answer. "Because I have no place to go." Her eyes bore into him. "I do not know my relative well enough to go to them, and I am surely not going to Ted Sandyman. So, I have no place to go."  
  
Merry frowned at her answer, disappointed by it. He had a fairly large immediate family and many other relatives sprawled out all over the Shire. He could not possibly imagine not having any place to go. He had no reply, but a soulless, "Oh."  
  
After a while of awkward silence, at least for Merry it was, Bitty stood over him. Her basket in hand, the pink phlox sitting all alone in it atop a white napkin. "I need to get back to my home to start on second breakfast. My father will be expecting it after his morning walk in the garden."  
  
Merry stood now beside her, hands stuffed in his pockets. "I'll come see you when I can, if it's all right with you, Miss Bitty."  
  
Bitty blushed, looking slightly downwards, but her eyes were bright. "Oh yes, it is awfully all right with me." She hoped she didn't sound too eager.   
  
"Farewell, Bitty Goodfellow." Merry bowed, grasping her free hand and brushing a kiss on the back of it - making poor Bitty blush deeper.   
  
The walk home was forgetful as Bitty's mind was elsewhere. She faltered between excitement and confusion because of the fact that Merry's actions toward her sparked queer emotions inside her. The normal parental bossing threw her from her thoughts of that and back to the work at hand. It wasn't until the next morning those emotions swelled into her mind again when she discovered another pink phlox, the same as yesterday, on her window sill waiting for her. Every morning there would be a flower waiting to greet her. 


End file.
